To improve solar and other clean energy tech, look beyond hardware

A new study finds system deployment processes have been slow to improve over time — but must be addressed to lower clean energy costs in the future.

Adam Zewe | MIT News • mit
Aug. 17, 2023 ~8 min

Can coffee or a nap make up for sleep deprivation? A psychologist explains why there's no substitute for shut-eye

While a cup of joe or a brief nap during an all-nighter might help you feel a little more alert, it won’t offset cognitive impairments from sleep deprivation when you’re performing complex tasks.

Kimberly Fenn, Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University • conversation
Aug. 17, 2023 ~6 min


Simple superconducting device could dramatically cut energy use in computing, other applications

The ultrasmall “switch” could be easily scaled.

Elizabeth Thomson | Materials Research Laboratory • mit
Aug. 15, 2023 ~11 min

A welcome new pipeline for students invested in clean energy

Fusion Undergraduate Scholars (FUSars) program offers students in-depth research opportunities in fusion science and energy.

Leda Zimmerman | MIT Energy Initiative • mit
Aug. 11, 2023 ~10 min

Arrays of quantum rods could enhance TVs or virtual reality devices

MIT engineers developed a new way to create these arrays, by scaffolding quantum rods onto patterned DNA.

Anne Trafton | MIT News • mit
Aug. 11, 2023 ~7 min

Bats are avoiding solar farms and scientists aren’t sure why

New research has found that bats avoid solar farms – but the findings should not hinder the transition to renewable energy.

Gareth Jones, Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol • conversation
Aug. 9, 2023 ~7 min

RoboMapper can make solar energy research faster

"RoboMapper allows us to conduct materials testing more quickly, while also reducing both cost and energy overhead..."

Liz Goodfellow-Futurity • futurity
Aug. 2, 2023 ~8 min

Cambridge researchers awarded ERC funding to support commercial potential of their work

University of Cambridge researchers have been awarded Proof of Concept grants from the European Research Council (ERC), to help them explore the commercial or

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Aug. 2, 2023 ~2 min


The nuclear arms race's legacy at home: Toxic contamination, staggering cleanup costs and a culture of government secrecy

Nuclear weapons production and testing contaminated many sites across the US and exposed people unknowingly to radiation and toxic materials. Some have gone uncompensated for decades.

William J. Kinsella, Professor Emeritus of Communication, North Carolina State University • conversation
Aug. 1, 2023 ~10 min

MIT engineers create an energy-storing supercapacitor from ancient materials

Made of cement, carbon black, and water, the device could provide cheap and scalable energy storage for renewable energy sources.

David L. Chandler | MIT News • mit
July 31, 2023 ~10 min

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